Medial rotational traction element arrangement for an article of footwear

Abstract

A traction element arrangement for a sole structure of an article of footwear is described. Traction elements of a first group are associated with a lateral side of the sole structure. Traction elements of a second group are associated with a medial side of the sole structure. Traction elements of the second group include medial rotational traction elements that have a plurality of stud elements arranged in a circular grouping. Stud elements may be aligned laterally across the sole structure with traction elements of the first group. Stud elements may be aligned longitudinally across the sole structure to be arranged in different configurations along an outside medial side or an inside medial side.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article of footwear, comprising:
 a sole structure including a partially rigid plate that extends across a substantial majority of a bottom surface of the sole structure, the sole structure having a forward edge, a rearward edge disposed opposite the forward edge, and a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the sole structure, including a center of the rearward edge and a center of the forward edge, and dividing the sole structure into a medial side and a lateral side; 
 a first group of traction elements disposed on the bottom surface; 
 a second group of traction elements integrally formed with the plate on the bottom surface; 
 the second group of traction elements comprising a plurality of medial rotational cleats including at least a first medial rotational cleat and a second medial rotational cleat, wherein the first medial rotational cleat is spaced entirely apart from the second medial rotational cleat; 
 each of the first medial rotational cleat and the second medial rotational cleat comprising:
 a raised ring, the raised ring extending from the bottom surface of the sole structure; 
 a plurality of stud elements extending away from the bottom surface, wherein the plurality of stud elements are arranged along the raised ring of the respective medial rotational cleat in a generally circular grouping positioned around a center point of the respective medial rotational cleat, wherein each stud element includes:
 a curved, concave, inner face oriented towards and curved towards the center point of the respective medial rotational cleat such that the plurality of stud elements define an inside portion of the medial rotational cleat, wherein the plate is exposed at the inside portion of the respective medial rotational cleat, and wherein the center point of the first medial rotational cleat is positioned closer to the forward edge of the sole structure than the center point of the second medial rotational cleat is positioned; and 
 a curved outer face on a radially opposite side of the stud element from the curved, concave, inner face, and wherein the curved outer face is convex; and 
 
 
 wherein the first group of traction elements are disposed on a lateral side of the sole structure and the second group of traction elements are disposed substantially on a medial side of the sole structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of medial rotational cleats are disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure; and
 wherein the inside portion is disposed radially inward of the stud elements. 
 
     
     
       3. The article of footwear according to  claim 2 , wherein the first medial rotational cleat is disposed adjacent to the peripheral edge of the forefoot region and the second medial rotational cleat is disposed between the first medial rotational cleat and a midfoot region of the sole structure. 
     
     
       4. The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the raised ring and the plurality of stud elements form a closed circular shape. 
     
     
       5. The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stud elements are connected by the raised ring to form an open c-shape. 
     
     
       6. The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third group of traction elements disposed in a heel region of the sole structure, the third group of traction elements having a different shape than the first group of traction elements and the second group of traction elements. 
     
     
       7. The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein a rearwardmost stud element of the first medial rotational cleat is closer to the rearward edge than any other stud element of the plurality of stud elements of the first medial rotational cleat and wherein a forwardmost stud element of the second medial rotational cleat is closer to the forward edge than any other stud elements of the plurality of stud elements of the second medial rotational cleat, the rearwardmost stud element of the first medial rotational cleat being closer to the forward edge than the forwardmost stud element of the second medial rotational cleat. 
     
     
       8. The article of footwear according to  claim 7 , further comprising at least one secondary stud disposed between the first group of traction elements and the second group of traction elements and further comprising a traction element extending out from the bottom surface a first height less than a second height the secondary stud extends out from the bottom surface and connecting the secondary stud to at least one traction element associated with the first group of traction elements. 
     
     
       9. The article of footwear according to  claim 7 , further comprising at least one secondary stud disposed between the first group of traction elements and the second group of traction elements and wherein the secondary stud is disposed separately from any of the traction elements associated with the first group of traction elements and the second group of traction elements. 
     
     
       10. An article of footwear, comprising:
 a sole structure including a bottom surface, the sole structure having a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the sole structure and dividing the sole structure into a lateral side and a medial side; 
 a first group of traction elements disposed on a lateral side of the bottom surface, and extending away from the bottom surface a first height; 
 a second group of traction elements molded with the sole structure on a medial side of the bottom surface, including a first medial rotational cleat and a second medial rotational cleat; 
 wherein the first group of traction elements has a different shape than the second group of traction elements and wherein the first group of traction elements are disposed on a lateral side of the sole structure and the second group of traction elements are disposed substantially on a medial side of the sole structure; and 
 wherein the first medial rotational cleat is spaced entirely apart from the second medial rotational cleat, each of the first medial rotational cleat and the second medial rotational cleat comprising:
 a raised ring, the raised ring extending from the bottom surface of the sole structure; 
 a plurality of stud elements extending away from the bottom surface a second height substantially similar to the first height, wherein the plurality of stud elements are arranged along the raised ring of the respective medial rotational cleat in a generally circular grouping positioned around a center point of the respective medial rotational cleat, and wherein each stud element includes:
 a curved, concave inner face oriented towards and curved towards the center point of the respective medial rotational cleat such that the plurality of stud elements define an inside portion of the medial rotational cleat; and 
 a curved outer face on a radially opposite side of the stud element from the curved, concave, inner face, and wherein the curved outer face is convex; and 
 
 wherein the plate is exposed at the inside portion of the respective medial rotational cleat, and wherein the center point of the first medial rotational cleat and the center point of the second medial rotational cleat are both positioned on the medial side of the sole structure in different positions from one another. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The article of footwear according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the stud elements of the first medial rotational cleat is equidistant from the center point of the first medial rotational cleat; and
 wherein each of the stud elements of the second medial rotational cleat is equidistant from the center point of the second medial rotational cleat. 
 
     
     
       12. The article of footwear according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of stud elements of each respective medial rotational cleat are disposed such that the plurality of stud elements and the raised ring together form a closed circular shape. 
     
     
       13. The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the second medial rotational cleat includes at least two stud elements aligned in a longitudinal direction with the at least two stud elements associated with the first medial rotational cleat disposed along the outside medial side. 
     
     
       14. The article of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein a rearwardmost stud element of the first medial rotational cleat is closer to the rearward edge than any other stud element of the plurality of stud elements of the first medial rotational cleat and wherein a forwardmost stud element of the second medial rotational cleat is closer to the forward edge than any other stud elements of the plurality of stud elements of the second medial rotational cleat, the rearwardmost stud element of the first medial rotational cleat is closer to the forward edge than the forwardmost stud element of the second medial rotational cleat. 
     
     
       15. The article of footwear according to  claim 10 , wherein the first group of traction elements have a generally curved airfoil shape and the first medial rotational cleat is spaced apart from the second medial rotational cleat. 
     
     
       16. The article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein the generally curved airfoil shape includes a wide end facing towards a heel region of the sole structure and a narrow end facing towards a forefoot region of the sole structure. 
     
     
       17. The article of footwear according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of stud elements associated with each medial rotational cleat have a generally curved airfoil shape. 
     
     
       18. The article of footwear according to  claim 17 , wherein the generally curved airfoil shape includes a wide end tapering to a narrow end in a clockwise direction. 
     
     
       19. A traction element arrangement for a sole structure of an article of footwear, the traction element arrangement comprising:
 a plate on a bottom surface of the sole structure, wherein the plate extends across a substantial majority of the bottom surface and includes a longitudinal axis extending through a center of the plate and divides the plate into a medial side and a lateral side; 
 at least a first medial rotational traction element and a second medial rotational traction element integrally molded with the plate, wherein both the first medial rotational traction element and the second rotational traction element are disposed substantially on the medial side and wherein the first medial rotational traction element is spaced entirely apart from the second medial rotational traction element, the first medial rotational traction element and the second medial rotational traction element each comprising;
 a raised ring extending out from the bottom surface a first height and a plurality of stud elements disposed on the raised ring and extending out from the bottom surface a second height, the second height being substantially larger than the first height, wherein each of the stud elements includes:
 a curved inner face oriented towards and curved towards an inside portion of the respective medial rotational cleat, the curved inner face being concave; and 
 a curved outer face on a radially opposite side of the stud element from the inner face, and wherein the curved outer face is convex; and 
 
 wherein the raised ring of each respective medial rotational traction element is disposed between at least two or more of the plurality of stud elements; 
 wherein the raised ring and the plurality of stud elements of the first medial rotational traction element are arranged in an approximately circular grouping positioned radially around a center point in a forefoot region on a medial side of the bottom surface; 
 wherein the raised ring and the plurality of stud elements of the second medial rotational traction element are arranged in an approximately circular grouping positioned radially around a center point in a forefoot region on a medial side of the bottom surface, the center point of the second medial rotational traction element being spaced apart from the center point of the first medial rotational traction element; 
 
 wherein the bottom surface includes a central portion disposed radially inward of the raised ring; 
 wherein the plate is exposed at the central portion; and 
 wherein the first height of the raised ring is higher than the central portion. 
 
     
     
       20. The traction element arrangement according to  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of stud elements of the first medial rotational cleat are disposed in a circular grouping spaced apart by approximately 120 degrees and the first medial rotational cleat is spaced apart from the second medial rotational cleat. 
     
     
       21. The traction element arrangement according to  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of stud elements are disposed in a semi-circular grouping spaced apart by approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
       22. The traction element arrangement according to  claim 21 , wherein at least two of the plurality of stud elements are not connected by the raised ring to form an opening. 
     
     
       23. The traction element arrangement according to  claim 22 , wherein the opening is aligned in an approximately lateral direction to face the medial side. 
     
     
       24. The traction element arrangement according to  claim 23 , wherein the second medial rotational traction element includes a second opening; and
 wherein the second opening is aligned at an offset angle with respect to the lateral direction. 
 
     
     
       25. The traction element arrangement according to  claim 19 , wherein each of the of stud elements of the first medial rotational cleat is equidistant from the center point of the first medial rotational cleat; and
 wherein each of the stud elements of the second medial rotational cleat is equidistant from the center point of the second medial rotational cleat. 
 
     
     
       26. The article of footwear according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the stud elements of the first medial rotational cleat is equidistant from the center point of the first medial rotational cleat; and
 wherein each of the plurality of stud elements of the second medial rotational cleat is equidistant from the center point of the second medial rotational cleat.